What is the difference between a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) and an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI)? While they sound similar and may seem to be similar, they each do different things to protect your homes and families from the dangers of electricity.
GFCIs help protect against an unintentional path between the voltage source and the ground. That means it offers protection from a severe or fatal electrical shock. A GFCI has sensors inside of it that measure the current going out and the current coming back in to it. If the current measurements are different, it means that current is “leaking” from the circuit and something is providing a path to ground. If that path to ground is a person, he or she could be injured, burned, severely shocked, or electrocuted. A GFCI can shut a circuit off within milliseconds, “interrupting” the flow of electricity, and hopefully keeping someone from getting shocked. GFCIs are installed in places of greater shock risk, like bathrooms, kitchens, near swimming pools, and outdoor electrical outlets.
AFCIs help protect against arcing conditions in electrical wiring that could cause a fire. AFCIs have sensors that monitor the arcing conditions. They can differentiate between normal arcing conditions and dangerous arcing conditions. Arcing can happen when things like a vacuum cleaner or a furnace motor turns on. Those those types of arcs would be classified as normal. Dangerous arcing happens when there are conditions like loose wiring in outlets or switches, damaged wiring, aged wires, overheated or stressed electrical cords, and shorted wires. The electronics in an AFCI senses the arcing and shuts down the circuit.
So GFCIs help protect against shocks, and AFC’s help protect against fires. There is a need for both in every home. If you are interested in making your home safer by installing either of these devices, make sure you contact a qualified electrician to do so.
For more information on electrical safety, visit SafeElectricity.org.
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